Chapter 104
JAXON
The moment the jet landed, I put my phone aside, tucking it in my pocket. I turned to my side, chuckling at the sight of Peach, who was curled into a ball beneath the wool body cover. She was fast asleep already. She wouldn’t stop bugging me about where we were heading to and at some point, I wanted to give in because of how cute she was, but I stood my ground.
I reached for her face, tucking her hair behind her ear and my breath got caught in my throat for a moment. She looked so peaceful while asleep. Too good to be true, even. Her pale rosy skin was glowing, void of any ounce of blemish. Her reddish lips were curled in a tiny pout, cute sounds eluding them now and then as she stirred in her sleep. The strands of her brown hair that were sticking out in different directions framed her face, highlighting the fine contrast they made with her skin.
I have been married to this woman for months now and every passing day, when she wakes up in my arms, it still feels so unreal to have someone as beautiful as she was as mine. I could never get used to waking up beside her every morning. Evaline gave me a sense of purpose. She gave me something to look forward to, every waking day of my life. I didn’t know what separation anxiety meant until she came into my life and then I understood what it meant to crave someone’s presence so much, to be obsessed with it and being away from them, even for a second, makes you feel like you can’t breathe.
There was just that sense of incompletion that lingered within me whenever she wasn’t around me.
Whenever I wasn’t home, I looked forward to the day I would be back at home and hold her in my arms. Whenever she wasn’t close to me, I craved her presence more than the air that I breathe.
I never thought I could be this into someone. That I could be this vulnerable with someone. She made vulnerability so beautiful. She waltzed into my life and splashed colours onto its dullness. Most times, I felt like I wasn’t worthy of her, but she was always ready to prove me wrong, that I deserved her just as much as she deserves me.
I loved her from the moment I laid my eyes on her, but my demons withheld me from admitting it. I thought someone as cold and ruthless as I was didn’t deserve someone with such a bright aura. That I wasn’t capable of loving anyone, not even myself. I spent a decade hating myself, so self-love just didn’t even feel right. But then, she emerged and changed everything.
With each day that passed, it became clearer to me that I wasn’t just obsessed with her. I was in love with her and I was glad I got it off my chest, telling her after the mind-blowing sex we had in the restroom at her friend’s wedding. I couldn’t hold it anymore. I could vividly remember the expression on her face after I said it.
She was just frozen.
She didn’t say it back. I knew she felt something for me. I was so sure of it but I didn’t know if she loved me, the way I loved her and not knowing was giving me an intense anxiety. I spent every day worrying about the fact that she never said it back nor was she willing to address it.
But I was willing to wait. No matter how long it takes. I leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead before picking her up in bridal style.
The door was pried open as some of the hostess mumbled farewell greetings to us. I stepped out of the Jet with her in my arms. It was nightfall already. My guards that trailed behind me were quick to catch up with my strides, moving past me to pry the door open. I dropped Peach in the backseat, so she could sleep properly without disturbance.
I drove out of the runway, heading straight for the Villa. When the idea of a getaway suddenly struck me, there was no better place that I could think of than Santorini, Greece, and luckily, I had a Villa in Oia, which I purchased here during one of my business trips. The view was everything. I had been so drawn to it since the moment I saw it and I knew it would come in handy someday. The Villa wasn’t the only thing I owned in Greece. I had other properties too.
I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to give her the whole world. Heck, I’d buy the world for her if she asked. That was how much control she had over me and how much I loved her. I stole a glance at her sleeping figure through the rearview mirror and grinned.
The ride to the Villa was quite short, given it wasn’t far from the airport. The gates automatically slide open, paving the way for me to drive in. I pulled over in the driveway and tossed the keys to the first guard that stepped out of the car. I carried her out of the backseat.
“Get our bags from the trunk,” I ordered without sparing them a glance. I punched in some digits into the buttons on the system and the door clicked open. I chose the room downstairs because it beheld a breathtaking view of the sunset and the hot thub. It was the most attractive room in the building.
I dropped her on the bed gently and proceeded to help her out of her clothes, leaving her in just her panties. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. I slid the shirt over her body and pulled the covers over her. With one last glance, I made my way out of the room to fetch myself a glass of whiskey and I was back in no time.
As I was about to get in bed with her, the loud ringtone of my phone cut through the silence that reigned in the room. I exhaled and retrieved my phone from my pocket. A huge frown settled on my face when I checked the caller ID.
“What did I tell you about disturbing my peace? I am on my honeymoon for fucks sake, Duncan! What the hell do you want?” I barked into the phone, my thick voice echoing throughout the room.
“I am sorry, boss. Good evening, boss.”
Listening to him speak was beginning to get on my nerves because I was still mad at him for the stunt he pulled with Zelda. Zelda was like my little sister and just like Maria, I hated seeing her hurt, but he discarded me like I meant nothing and still went ahead to get involved with her sexually without having any intentions of being with her. He used her.
I held back from telling Peach that after she left the house the other day, I had seen Duncan with a bruised face and asked him what was wrong. He told me my wife hit him. I didn’t marry a violent woman. She might have a temper but for her to raise her hands on him, he must have done something terrible. When he eventually told me what he did, it took all I had not to put a bullet through his head, but I settled for beating the crap out of him, giving him a clear warning to stay the hell away from her.
“Well, what do you need?”
“This is not a breathing contest,” I snorted.
“We might have found a lead on Micah Ramos,” he announced, and I scoffed, tucking a hand in the pocket of my pants as I paced around the room.
“You might have or you have found a lead on him?” I queried him, arching a brow as though he could see me.
“Boss__”NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.
“I can remember giving you clear instructions that you should only inform me if you have found a concrete lead on him, not the other way around, boy!” I fired at him, my voice raising an octave higher.
“I am sorry, boss. I’ll keep looking.”
“Good. Now get the fuck off my phone.” I growled, hanging up on him.
“Arden?” Her soft, groggy voice intercepted my thoughts and I swung my head in her direction, gazing adoringly at her. She was peeking at me through her lashes. Her eyelids looked heavy because they kept closing.
“Is that Duncan?”
“Go to sleep, Peach.” My voice softened. I walked over to the bed and got under the covers with her, pulling her small frame to myself.
“Where are we?” She asked, wrapping her arms around me. She looked up, expecting an answer to her question.
“Greece,” I whispered and she mumbled a ‘wow’ under her breath. She yawned softly, dropping her head on my chest.
“I love you,”
I muttered, pressing a kiss on her hair. Whether she heard me or not, it didn’t matter. All that matters was that I was holding her in my arms right now and I couldn’t have asked for a better evening.